Department for Transport

Road Haulage Association

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with representatives of the Road Haulage Association, following its petition for an extension to the transition period.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government meets regularly with representatives from the Road Haulage Association to discuss a number of issues of importance to the logistics sector, at both official and Ministerial level.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund

lord mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the publication of guidance on the COVID-19 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund on 1 April, whether its reference to qualifying properties 'wholly or mainly being used as a hospitality, retail, or leisure venue’ refers to the rateable area of the business being used for such purposes or to its turnover.

lord callanan: Under the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) businesses in England that would have been in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) on 11 March 2020, with a rateable value of less than £51,000, will be eligible for cash grants of up to £25,000 per property. It is for local authorities to decide, having regard to the Government’s guidance, whether individual properties are eligible for the RHLGF based on the circumstances of each case.

Business: Insurance

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what risk assumptions they will use in the pricing of reinsurance offered to trade credit insurers; and what commitments they have obtained from these insurers to maintain cover.

lord callanan: The Trade Credit Reinsurance Scheme operates as a reinsurance agreement which will see trade credit insurers continuing to write and maintain cover to businesses affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. The cost to insurers of participating in the scheme is ceding 90% of their premium income to Government, with 35% returned to cover their costs. The retention of 10% income by insurers ensures alignment of incentives so that underwriting standards and pricing approaches are maintained in line with normal market conditions. Losses are also being shared with Government taking 90% and insurers 10%, up to a £3 billion cap. Losses between £3 billion and £10 billion will be 100% covered by Government. Insurers will offset the 10% of premium they retain against their share of the losses. The Scheme will see the vast majority of TCI cover maintained in the market. The reinsurance agreement requires insurers to maintain cover where there are reasonably identifiable Covid-19 related economic impacts on an in-scoped insured. Where there are no identifiable Covid-19 related economic impacts, participating insurers will continue to act according to their existing underwriting practices. BEIS’s delivery partner will have oversight of insurers throughout the scheme and monitor their behaviour to ensure that underwriting standards and prices are maintained.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government which work streams were identified for the upcoming Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy before it was paused.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Following the Chancellor's announcement that the Comprehensive Spending Review is being delayed, the Integrated Review has been paused given the pressing need to focus on COVID-19. We will return to the Integrated Review when appropriate to do so, aligned with the CSR, ensuring that we engage with all relevant stakeholders.

International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict on 19 June.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK plans to mark the sixth annual International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict by announcing the launch of the draft Murad Code of Conduct for documenting conflict related sexual violence for global consultations. The Code will uphold international standards and best practice by donors, international organisations, and civil society when documenting conflict-related sexual violence, and prevent the re-traumatisation of survivors. As the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict I will also attend a UN virtual event hosted by the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict to raise awareness of the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic on survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.The UK remains at the forefront of the global efforts to tackle conflict-related sexual violence through our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. We are committed to strengthening justice and accountability for all survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reschedule the International Conference on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict that was postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict I issued a statement on 14 April that the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) International Conference, Time for Justice: Putting Survivors First had been postponed in light of the international COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure that the event had the inclusive, global impact which the issue demands. This was a difficult decision to make. The Foreign Secretary and I will revisit dates when the international situation allows.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the UN to update World Map 4170 to show the Chagos Archipelago as Mauritian territory; and what plans they have to comply withUN General Assembly resolution 73/295 on the withdrawal of the UK administration of the Chagos Archipelago.

baroness sugg: The UK notes that the designation of the British Indian Ocean Territory has been modified on maps produced by the UN, following UN General Assembly Resolution 73/295. This resolution is not legally binding and the UK voted against its adoption.This modification by the UN does not alter, or determine, sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago and it makes no difference to the UK's position, which we have consistently made clear. The UK has no doubt about our sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. Mauritius has never held sovereignty, so we do not recognise its claim. We have, however, made a long-standing commitment to cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius when it is no longer required for defence purposes. We stand by that commitment.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received the report of the United Nations Secretary-General to the United Nations General Assembly on the implementation of its resolution calling on the United Kingdom to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius by 22 November 2019; and if not, when they expect to receive it.

baroness sugg: The United Nations published the Secretary General's report on the 'Advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences of the separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965' on 12 June. The UK government has issued a statement following the publication of this report. A copy of the statement can be found at gov.uk, United Nations Secretary General's report on the implementation of Resolution 73/295: UK statement.

Ilois: Black Lives Matter

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the support expressed by the Prime Minister for the Black Lives Matter campaign in his message of 8 June, what steps they are taking to ensure that the ethos of that campaign is fully incorporated into their decision-making regarding the treatment of citizens of the British Indian Ocean Territory and the right of return of Chagossians to the Outer Islands.

baroness sugg: The UK Government has expressed sincere regret about the manner in which Chagossians were removed from the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) in the 1960s and 1970s. It announced in November 2016 that resettlement of Chagossians could not be supported on the grounds of feasibility, defence and security interests, and cost to the British taxpayer. The Government further announced at that time that it would implement a support package worth approximately £40 million over ten years. The support package intends to provide Chagossians in the communities in which they currently live - predominantly UK, Mauritius and Seychelles, - with better life chances. The Government recognises the emotional connection of Chagossians to BIOT, and has expanded the heritage visit programme to allow more Chagossians to visit in the coming years.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Gloucestershire

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to undertake an inquiry into the numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths in Gloucestershire; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the Cheltenham Festival race meeting in March on those numbers.

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate, if any, they have made of the number of people who attended the Cheltenham Festival race meeting in March who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.

lord bethell: The Department has no plans to undertake an inquiry specifically into the numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths in Gloucestershire. No assessment has been made centrally of the impact of the Cheltenham Festival race meeting in March on numbers of deaths related to COVID-19 in Gloucestershire or the number of people who attended the race meeting who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.At all times during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government’s response has been guided by the latest scientific advice. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) provides scientific advice to support United Kingdom decision-makers during emergencies. In recognition of the importance of transparency in these unprecedented times, SAGE has been publishing the statements and the accompanying evidence it has reviewed online on GOV.UK to demonstrate how the scientific understanding of COVID-19 has continued to evolve as new data emerges, and how SAGE’s advice has quickly adapted to new findings that reflect a changing situation. It will be updated as SAGE releases papers from recent and future meetings.

Health Services: Coronavirus

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that travel restrictions do not impede the movement of medical personnel and supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: The Government has published safer travel guidance for passengers and operators online at GOV.UK. Services might be operating at a reduced rate and passengers are urged to identify alternative routes and options in case of unexpected disruption. It is advised that all other forms of transport should be considered before using public transport and that where possible, people should walk or cycle. There will be some exemptions to the border control measures, such as to ensure the continued security of United Kingdom supply chains, or journeys within the Common Travel Area. We will set out further detail in due course.

Disease Control: Medical Equipment

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they took, following the conclusion of Exercise Cygnus, to ensure that additional funding was made available for purchasing equipment from stockpiles to be used for satellite care so that timely decisions could be made regarding the discharge of patients from hospitals to residential care, community care or home.

lord bethell: The lessons learned from Exercise Cygnus continue to be considered by the Government and a range of stakeholders, including expert advisory groups and local emergency planners in reviewing response plans. As part of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Programme we maintain national stocks of clinical countermeasures for a future influenza pandemic with arrangements in place for how these would be distributed in an emergency. The content of the stockpiles is informed by scientific and clinical advice and kept under review. The Department receives advice on these matters from Public Health England and various independent Government advisory committees including NERVTAG and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Care Homes: Finance

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that their extra funding for care homes announced since15 March has arrived in the bank accounts of care homes; and what consideration they have given to transferring such funding direct to care homes.

lord bethell: The Government has taken significant steps to provide financial support for public services during COVID-19, including making £3.2 billion available to local authorities so they can address pressures on local services caused by the pandemic, including in adult social care. To improve transparency, local authorities should also publish on their websites the support they are offering to providers of residential and domiciliary care services, as well as any other social care services they are supporting. We have asked for these to be published by 29 May 2020. Furthermore, on 15 May we published details of an additional £600 million Infection Control Fund for Adult Social Care to support adult social care providers in England reduce the rate of transmission in and between care homes and to support workforce resilience. The Government will continue to monitor pressures in the National Health Service and local government and will keep future funding under review.

Neurology: Health Services

lord dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of what additional NHS services, including rehabilitation, will be required as a result ofthe neurological complications seen in inpatients with COVID-19.

lord bethell: COVID-19 is a new disease with many new and unexpected complications. Clinicians in the National Health Service have adapted rapidly to this evolving situation and rehabilitation programs for COVID-19 have been developed in many parts of the NHS, providing rehabilitation both in hospital and in the community.On 29 April, Sir Simon Stevens and Amanda Pritchard published a letter on the second phase of the NHS response to COVID-19, and recommended actions for the next phase including preparing to support the increase in patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and who having been discharged from hospital need ongoing community health support.The NHS also published guidance on 5 June entitled After-care needs of inpatients recovering from COVID-19, which supports primary care and community health services to meet the immediate and longer-term care needs of patients discharged following an acute episode of COVID-19, by describing the typical expected health care needs of patients post-discharge. These include neuromuscular and neuro-psychological, amongst others.Copies of the NHS letter and guidance are attached.



After-care needs of inpatients recovering COVID19
(PDF Document, 370.93 KB)




NHS England letter 29 April 2020
(PDF Document, 267.96 KB)

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 28 May (HL4485), what was the policy in respect of discharging patients from hospitals to care homes in the period from the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown to 14 April.

lord bethell: On 19 March, we published the COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements, which sets out guidance on supporting the discharge of patients who no longer need acute care, following the ‘Discharge to Assess’ model. Wherever possible, people who are clinically ready should be supported to return to their place of residence, where an assessment of their longer-term needs will take place. A copy of this guidance is attached.For those coming out of hospital, we have made available £1.3 billion funding via the National Health Service to support the discharge process. This funding can also cover the costs of providing alternative accommodation to quarantine and isolate residents, where needed, before returning to their care home from hospital, as set out in COVID-19: Our Action Plan for Adult Social Care on 15 April. A copy of the Action Plan is attached.Our guidance published on 2 April, Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home, sets out advice to care homes on the appropriate isolation required for care home residents who have been discharged from hospital following treatment for COVID-19. A copy of the guidance is attached.We are currently reviewing our care homes guidance and will be publishing new guidance shortly.



Hospital Discharge Service Requirements
(PDF Document, 919.95 KB)




COVID19 Action Plan for Adult Social Care
(PDF Document, 284.73 KB)




Admission and Care of Residents During COVID19
(PDF Document, 313.97 KB)

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much in total of the Infection Control Fund has been used by care homes to provide personal protective equipment for staff; what steps have been taken to ensure expeditious testing for care home staff and residents before 6 June; how many such staff and residents are yet to be tested; and why.

lord bethell: We have now made £3.2 billion available to local authorities so they can address pressures on local services caused by the pandemic, including in adult social care. On 15 May we published details of an additional £600 million Infection Control Fund for Adult Social Care. This funding is to support adult social care providers in England reduce the rate of transmission in and between care homes and to support workforce resilience. As part of the grant conditions, local authorities have been asked to report later this month on the measures taken, such as steps taken to isolate residents within care homes and support staff who are self-isolating.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what plans they have to introduce regional strategies to address COVID-19 death and infection rates. [T]

lord bethell: We are currently considering a range of options for addressing future phases of the COVID-19, including the implementation of tailoring containment measures to the regional and local level. As recently announced, each local authority will be given funding to develop local outbreak control plans, working with the local National Health Service, Public Health England and other stakeholders.Any decisions on how to approach the mid- to long-term strategy to address the pandemic will be led by the science, build on the Government’s test and trace strategy, and be supported by the new Joint Biosecurity Centre.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many patients from (1) nursing homes, or (2) care homes, have been transferred to Nightingale hospitals in England since these hospitals were opened.

lord bethell: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Coronavirus: Social Distancing

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to change the COVID-19 social distancing guidance from two metres.

lord bethell: The plans to change the COVID-19 social distancing guidance from two metres is under constant review. The Government continues to encourage two metre social distancing wherever that is possible.In easing the lockdown, the Government accepts that maintaining two metre social distancing may be difficult in certain circumstances and will be issuing updated workplace guidance to address that and, subject to legislation, is mandating the use of face coverings on public transport from 15 June.The Government collaborates closely with Public Health England to ensure guidance on two metre social distancing is kept up to date as regulations change in light of latest medical and scientific evidence.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish their response to the letters sent by the National Care Forum on (1) 26 March, and (2) 10 April which (a) stated that care homes were “being pressured into taking hospital discharge patients who had not been tested for the virus, even though they were exhibiting symptoms”, and (b) called for discharged patients to be tested or risk litigation over the “avoidable deaths” of residents who subsequently became infected.

lord bethell: The Department does not have record of the correspondence from the National Care Forum.

Public Sector: Contracts

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) effectiveness, and (2) value for money, of Government contracts with private companies to provide public services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to remove any potential conflicts of interest when awarding Government contracts relating to their response to the COVID-19pandemic.

lord bethell: Guidance on how contracting authorities should respond to COVID-19 was published on 18 March. Authorities are allowed to procure goods, services and works with extreme urgency in exceptional circumstances using regulation 32(2)(c) under the Public Contract Regulations 2015. Various options are available which include: - direct award due to extreme urgency;- direct award due to absence of competition or protection of exclusive rights;- call off from an existing framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system;- call for competition using a standard procedure with accelerated timescales; and- extending or modifying a contract during its term.We have also made it clear that authorities must continue to achieve value for money for taxpayers, use good commercial judgement and publish the details of any awards made, in line with Government transparency guidelines.

Dementia: Coronavirus

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of data from the Office for National Statistics which shows that there has been a 52.2 per cent increase in excess deaths of people dying of dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: Keeping people safe throughout this period is the Government’s top priority. We have been working closely with the sector and public health experts to put in place guidance and support for adult social care and we will continue to ensure they have everything they need to respond.We are monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on people with dementia. Informed by the Office for National Statistics’ 15 May publication ‘Deaths involving COVID-19 in England and Wales: deaths occurring in April 2020’ and the 5 June publication ‘Analysis of death registrations not involving coronavirus (COVID-19), England and Wales: 28 December 2019 to 1 May 2020’, we are working with our partners to understand what additional mitigating actions may be required to ensure the safety of people with dementia.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comments by the Chief Executive of NHS Providers on 6 June about the Government’s introduction of new measures to counter the COVID-19 pandemic, and in particular that NHS Trust leaders (1) felt “completely in the dark” about "significant and complex" changes; (2) are asked to make operational changes with little notice; (3) are concerned that there is insufficient strategy and planning; and (4) felt that last-minute decisions are overly influenced by politics. [T]

lord bethell: We are committed to working closely with the National Health Service on the introduction of new measures to counter the COVID-19 pandemic and give as much advance notice as possible. However, this is a fast-moving situation and at times it has been necessary to introduce measures at short notice.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many antibodies have been identified which have had a neutralising effect on the COVID-19 virus.

lord bethell: Characterisation of neutralising antibodies is still in its infancy. The role of neutralising antibodies in providing treatment or as a marker for protection against reinfection is not yet fully understood. Scientists at Public Health England and elsewhere are working in this area, and conclusions will be reported in scientific journals as new evidence emerges.

Coronavirus: Radiation

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of low dose radiation in the treatment of COVID-19.

lord bethell: Chest X-rays or chest computed tomography scans are frequently performed for radiological lung assessments during which patients may be exposed to low doses of ionising radiation. Public Health England has not undertaken any specific assessment of the value of this diagnostic approach in the management of COVID-19. Medical exposure to ionising radiation is justified by the clinical team providing care on the basis that the benefit outweighs any potential risks to health.There have been suggestions in the scientific literature that low dose radiation exposure of the lungs may be an effective treatment for COVID-19 related pneumonia, but this has yet to be proven.

Coronavirus: Disease control

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking toestablisha permanent body to (1) seek to avert future pandemics, and (2) ensure affordable, widespread availability of vaccines and therapies to treat COVID-19 as they become available.

lord bethell: The United Kingdom believes that the World Health Organization (WHO) has an important role to play in leading the health response to COVID-19 and in longer term leadership in global health including preparedness. We also want to see WHO continue to learn lessons on how to improve its response to global health emergencies and as such would expect a full review of all elements of their response once they are out of response mode, as has occurred after previous Public Health Emergencies of International Concern. The UK intends to engage constructively with a future review, including working with other governments.Since 2017, we have, through the Department’s Global Health Security Programme, used our public health expertise to provide technical support to countries. This technical support and knowledge sharing helps build resilient public health care systems to prevent, detect and respond to disease and to better manage future public health emergencies including pandemics.The UK supports strong mechanisms to promote equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and diagnostics. At the Global Vaccine Summit on 4 June 2020, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, launched a new Advance Market Commitment (AMC) for COVID-19 vaccines aimed at incentivising vaccine manufacturers to produce sufficient quantities of eventual COVID-19 vaccines, and to ensure access for developing countries with a primary focus on subsidising vaccines for the poorest countries. The UK committed £48 million to the AMC at the Summit.In addition, the UK supported AstraZeneca’s announcement at the Summit of a $750 million agreement with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and Gavi to support the manufacturing, procurement and distribution of 300 million vaccine doses globally this year, including for the world’s poorest countries. AstraZeneca also announced a deal with the Serum Institute of India to manufacture a further 1 billion doses for distribution to developing countries.

Mental Illness: Prescription Drugs

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prescriptions have been issued for (1) antidepressants, (2) anxiolytics, (3) sedatives and hypnotics, and (4) antipsychotics, in the last six months; how many prescriptions in each of these categories were new prescriptions;and how these figures compare with the same period last year.

lord bethell: The information requested is provided in the following tables by the NHS Business Services Authority: Number of itemsMonth and YearAntidepressantsAnxiolyticsBarbiturates and HypnoticsAntipsychoticsOctober 20186,242,966559,541738,4971,059,542November 20186,105,746538,508715,0051,030,777December 20186,043,242527,892704,8351,022,515January 20196,279,989547,545743,3851,052,933February 20195,680,329492,331656,344955,569March 20196,153,299527,789699,7361,021,958  Number of itemsMonth and YearAntidepressantsAnxiolyticsBarbiturates and HypnoticsAntipsychoticsOctober 20196,574,909547,721720,3621,091,403November 20196,324,255515,711683,1981,045,301December 20196,428,992525,749698,3381,067,155January 20206,701,671539,735733,0031,098,917February 20206,097,134490,517653,315997,909March 20206,828,732529,601704,0711,080,136 The data provided is for prescriptions prescribed and dispensed in England only. The time periods covered are October 2019 – March 2020 inclusive and also October 2018 – March 2019 for comparison. March 2020 is the most recent dataset available.The term ‘items’ refers to the number of times a product appears on a prescription form, and not the quantity prescribed. Any secondary indications or unlicensed uses of any of these medicines will not be apparent from the data.The NHS Business Services Authority does not have enough information to determine if a prescription is ‘new’ for a particular patient.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many care home residents were admitted to hospital for another condition, and died in hospital of COVID-19, since 1 April.

lord bethell: The data is not available in the format requested.

Department for International Development

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the value for money of aid sent to the Palestinian Authority, following reports that it spends seven per cent of its budget, and up to 40 per cent of its foreign aid receipts, on payments to terrorists and their families.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: No UK aid is used for payments to prisoners or their families or the so called Martyrs Fund. Our financial support to the Palestinian Authority health and education sectors goes into a dedicated bank account and is only paid to individual workers carefully vetted through the PEGASE mechanism (Palestinian-European Socio-Economic Management Assistance Mechanism). Each payment is independently audited to ensure it has been received by the intended recipient.As is standard practice for all DFID programmes, we assess value for money for the UK taxpayer annually through our review process. Last year UK aid enabled 26,000 young Palestinians in the West Bank to get an education, delivered 3,300 MMR vaccinations for children and enabled 111,000 medical consultations. This is an important contribution towards supporting a stable Palestinian Authority (PA) that can deliver essential services to Palestinians and act as an effective partner for peace with Israel.

Overseas Aid: Conflict Resolution

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans are in place to ensure that at least 50 per cent of their overseas aid budget remains committed to fragile and conflict afflicted states; and what proportion of that budget is earmarked for conflict resolution and peace building.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: DFID’s work on addressing the underlying drivers of fragility, conflict and instability in fragile and conflict affected states (FCAS) is vital. This is why the UK is pursuing a strong and co-ordinated global response to COVID-19, particularly for the most vulnerable countries. DFID is taking steps to ensure that both our immediate responses to COVID-19 and long-term recovery efforts do not exacerbate conflict and instead help to build peace and improve governance, especially in FCAS.DFID has consistently spent at least 50% of its Official Development Assistance in fragile and conflict affected states from 2015 to 2017. Figures for 2018 will be published in due course.

Department for Education

Children: Coronavirus

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when legal safeguards for vulnerable children removed during the COVID-19 outbreak will be reinstated.

baroness berridge: In regard to children’s social care, the department has not removed any primary legislative responsibility that local authorities have towards safeguarding children. The Children and Adoption (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 will expire on 25 September unless there is a clear need to extend them related to the COVID-19 outbreak, which will be informed by feedback from across the sector including children’s charities.In regard to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), we have temporarily changed some aspects of the law on education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments and plans. Detailed guidance on these changes is available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-the-law-on-education-health-and-care-needs-assessments-and-plans-due-to-coronavirus/education-health-and-care-needs-assessments-and-plans-guidance-on-temporary-legislative-changes-relating-to-coronavirus-covid-19.We are committed to ending the temporary changes to the law on EHC needs assessment and plan processes at the earliest opportunity. We are keeping these measures under constant review, working with a range of stakeholders to monitor the situation on the ground.The Regulations will expire on 25 September unless there is a clear need to extend them and we are committed to continuously reviewing them. They will be considered on a case by case basis and decisions will the informed by feedback across the sector, including children’s charities. Changes will also be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

Racial Hatred: Primary Education

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ensure that primary school children in England are taught about racism.

baroness berridge: We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why from September 2020, we are making relationships education compulsory for primary school-age pupils, relationships and sex education compulsory for secondary school-age pupils, and health education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools.The statutory guidance sets out that as part of relationships educations, all primary-aged pupils will be taught the importance of respecting others, even when they are very different from them, or make different choices or have different preferences or beliefs. Pupils will also be taught what a stereotype is, and how stereotypes can be unfair, negative or destructive.Schools can also teach about racism in personal, social, health and economic education and citizenship education where pupils can develop their understanding of the diverse national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom and the need for mutual respect and understanding. There is also flexibility within the history curriculum for teachers to teach about Black history across the spectrum of themes and eras.Schools are required to actively promote fundamental British values, including democracy as well as the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faith and beliefs.

GCE A Level and GCSE: Assessments

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are satisfied that the process being adopted by Ofqual for exceptional arrangements for awarding calculated grades in GCSEs, AS and A Levels takes sufficient account of recent improvement trends in the educational establishment the student is from.

baroness berridge: Ofqual conducted a public consultation from 15-29 April, seeking views on aspects of the proposed assessment arrangements for GCSEs, AS and A levels, including standardisation of centre assessment grades. Ofqual received over 12,500 responses to their consultation, and on 22 May they published their decisions.Ofqual have decided not to include the trajectory of exam centres’ results in the statistical standardisation process. This is due to potential unfairness caused by the unreliability of any trajectory predictions and the disadvantage that this might cause students in those centres with stable results.Whilst this is a matter for Ofqual as the independent regulator of qualifications, I am satisfied that Ofqual’s approach is the best solution given these extraordinary circumstances.

Apprentices

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to announce details of the apprenticeship guarantee announced by the Prime Minister on 2 June; and what arrangements have been made with employers to ensure every young person in Britain will be guaranteed an apprenticeship.

baroness berridge: Apprenticeships will have an important role to play in creating employment opportunities, particularly for young people, and in supporting employers in all sectors to access the skilled workforce that they need to recover and grow, following the COVID-19 outbreak.We are looking to support employers of all sizes, and particularly smaller businesses to take on new apprentices this year. We will set out further details in due course. We will also ensure that there is sufficient funding to support small businesses that want to take on an apprentice this year.

GCE A-level: Assessments

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what safeguards they have in place to ensure that predicted gradesreplacing A-level exams this year are awarded fairly; and whether they plan to introduce an appeals system.

baroness berridge: This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation and I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write to the noble Lord and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Children: Coronavirus

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reintroduce a 'play strategy' for England to help to tackle the (1) mental, and (2) physical, impact of COVID-19 on children.

baroness berridge: The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework sets the regulatory standards for learning and development and safeguarding and welfare for all early years providers caring for children from birth to 5. The framework defines seven areas of learning and development, including physical development and personal, social and emotional development. The framework is clear that each area must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity. The framework is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.The EYFS does not promote a particular pedagogical approach. It is for individual early years settings to determine how the areas of learning should be implemented to support children to meet the expected level of development by the end of the Reception year. The priorities at this time are helping young children to adapt to their new routines and supporting children to settle back into the setting, especially where there have been staffing changes. Continuing to support their early language and communication skills is essential. Children who have had limited opportunities for exercise should be encouraged to exert themselves physically.

Universities: Wales

baroness finlay of llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their modelling relating to controls on numbers of students domiciled in England attending Welsh universities; and whether such modelling recognised the risk of a disproportionate financial impact on Welsh universities as a result of such controls.

baroness berridge: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities have regular meetings with Welsh ministers, and ministers from all the devolved administrations, about higher education issues. These discussions have included the development of student number controls policy. The department’s officials also have regular meetings and discussions with their counterparts. Student number controls are a direct response to the COVID-19 outbreak. They are designed to minimise the impact to the financial threat posed by COVID-19 and they form a key part of the package of measures to stabilise the university admissions system. These controls are a temporary measure and will be in place for one academic year only. Student number controls for institutions in the devolved administrations only apply to the number of English-domiciled entrants who will be supported with their tuition fees through the Student Loans Company. They are set at a level which will allow every institution to take more first year English students than they took last year. The funding of English-domiciled students is not a devolved matter and it is right and fair that this policy should apply as consistently as possible wherever they are studying in the UK.  Ministers will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations on strengthening and stabilising the higher education system following the COVID-19 outbreak.

Carers: Young People

baroness morgan of huyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what help they have arranged for school-aged young carers who cannot attend schools because they are self-isolating with parents who have vulnerable conditions.

baroness berridge: Ensuring that vulnerable children and young people, including young carers, are protected and supported is a top priority for this government. That is why we have included young carers as a target group for our new See, Hear, Respond service. It will provide a range of support, including online counselling or therapy, and will help identify children who would most benefit from extra support so that they can reintegrate into school in September. In addition, the government will shortly be publishing advice for young people with caring responsibilities, which will include information and guidance on how and where they can get help and support, including for those who cannot currently attend school.We are committed to ensuring that any pupil who cannot yet return to school continues to learn at home. Schools know their pupils best, including those with caring responsibilities, and we have been clear that school leaders should use their resources, particularly pupil premium funding, to support pupils who have particular needs because of their home circumstances. This will include young carers and pupils who have a social worker. We are working with a range of partners, including the Education Endowment Foundation, to explore how schools can best help their disadvantaged pupils to make up lost ground. Our latest guidance on remote education during the COVID-19 outbreak is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.The government has committed over £100 million to support children to access remote education, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers. We have ordered laptops and tablets for children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examination in year 10, those receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. We are providing over 50,000 4G wireless routers to disadvantaged children with a social worker in secondary school, care leavers and children in year 10 who do not have access to a suitable internet connection through other means. We are also ensuring every school that needs it has access to free, expert technical support to get set up on Google for Education or Microsoft’s Office 365 Education. We are offering peer support through the EdTech Demonstrator schools programme – with leading schools and colleges helping others to make the best use of available technology to teach pupils remotely.The department is continuing to assess the potential impact of school closure on children and young people’s mental health and attainment. We are working closely with schools and colleges, sector organisations, the Department for Health and Social Care, NHS England and Public Health England to understand the risks to academic attainment, mental health and wellbeing and identify the children and young people that may need support.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

baroness morgan of huyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) vulnerable, and (2) disadvantaged, pupils are not currently attending school.

baroness berridge: The closest matching available data on the attendance of vulnerable children in educational establishments since 23 March was published on Tuesday 16 June at the following link and covers data up to Thursday 11 June: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings.The data is collected from individual education establishments and the published figures include estimates for non-response.We do not currently hold attendance statistics for the number of pupils who are classed as disadvantaged.The attendance of children with an education, health and care plan should be based on an individual risk assessment, carried out and regularly reviewed to judge whether they are best supported at school or at home at this time. Attendance may not be appropriate for some children, including because of health considerations for them and their family. Full guidance on the definition of vulnerable children and expectations around attendance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

Ministry of Justice

Custodial Treatment: Protective Clothing

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy on the (1) provision, and (2) use, of facemasks in (a) prisons, and (b) juvenile detention facilities, by (i) staff, and (ii) prisoners and detainees.

lord keen of elie: Social distancing and hygiene are the most effective controls to reduce transmission.Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service follows the public health advice on the use of medical face masks alongside other items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where close contact is sustained, essential and unavoidable.

Probate

lord soley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how long on average it takes for an applicant to receivea grant of probate.

lord keen of elie: Probate timeliness data up to March 2020 are due for publication on 25th June 2020.

Treasury

Construction: VAT

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the implementation of the forthcoming VAT reverse charge for construction services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord agnew of oulton: In light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction sector, the Government has decided to delay the introduction of the VAT domestic reverse charge for building and construction services, to 1 March 2021.

Inspections: Dover

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government where they plan to locate inspection zones for vehicles travelling into the UK via the port of Dover.

lord agnew of oulton: On 12 June the Government committed to building new border facilities in Great Britain to carry out the required checks following the end of the transition period, building inland port facilities where there is no space at ports for new infrastructure. The Government will also provide targeted support to ports to build new infrastructure. The Government is consulting with ports across the UK to agree what infrastructure is required.

Bank of England

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are considering adjusting the mandate of the Bank of England to make (1) full employment or (2) nominal GDP an equal or higher priority than inflation.

lord agnew of oulton: Monetary Policy in the UK has the primary objective of achieving price stability, as set out in the Bank of England Act 1998. Price stability is an essential pre-requisite for long run growth. As the Chancellor reaffirmed in the remit of the independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) at the Budget, price stability is defined as a symmetric inflation target of 2 per cent, as measured by the 12-month increase in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). The Government’s commitment to price stability and the inflation target remains absolute.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

lord forsyth of drumlean: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their intention that employers are reimbursed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for employees who are under notice of redundancy.

lord agnew of oulton: The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has been successful in supporting employers whose operations have been severely affected by coronavirus in retaining their employees and protecting the UK economy.Where a business considers that redundancy is the only option, standard employment law applies to employees on furlough. CJRS grants cannot be used to substitute redundancy payments.

Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria will be used to assess whether a business seeking funding under the Covid Corporate Financing Facility qualifies as making "a material contribution to the UK economy".

lord agnew of oulton: In practice, firms that meet this requirement would normally be: UK incorporated companies, including those with foreign-incorporated parents and with a genuine business in the UK; companies with significant employment in the UK; firms with their headquarters in the UK. We also consider whether the company generates significant revenues in the UK, serves a large number of customers in the UK or has a number of operating sites in the UK. These criteria are set out in the Facility’s pages on the Bank of England website.

Public Finance: Coronavirus

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what investigations they are undertaking to ensure that the financial burden of the COVID-19 pandemic is not disproportionately borne by minority communities.

lord agnew of oulton: The Government has announced unprecedented support for public services, workers and businesses to protect against the current economic emergency. These measures are supporting millions of families, businesses and self-employed people from every community in the UK to get through this crisis and emerge on the other side both stronger and more united. HM Treasury takes care to pay due regard to the equality impacts of its policy decisions relating to the COVID-19 outbreak, in line with all legal requirements and the Government’s commitment to promoting equality. There are internal procedural requirements and support in place for ensuring that such considerations inform decisions taken by Ministers.

Stamp Duties

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to assess the economic impact of stamp duty on the residential property market, including the impact on (1) construction, (2) home repairs, (3) consumer expenditure, and (4) inter-generational wealth distribution.

lord agnew of oulton: The Treasury continually monitors the residential property market and Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) returns, and HMRC publish quarterly SDLT statistics. The Government keeps all tax policy, including SDLT, under review.

Small Businesses: Credit

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help small- and medium-sized businesses access extended credit terms.

lord agnew of oulton: The Government announced an unprecedented support package to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) through this challenging time, including the Government-backed loan schemes. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) provides Government-backed finance of up to £5m per business, helping SMEs who risk becoming unviable during this period. The scheme has provided over 49,000 finance facilities worth a value of over £10.1bn. The Bounce Back Loans Scheme (BBLS), ensures that the smallest businesses can access the finance they need in a matter of days. The scheme so far has provided over 863,000 loan facilities worth over £26bn. The Government also continues to work with banks and other finance providers to help SMEs access the finance they need, and welcomes lenders ongoing support for customers, such as repayment holidays and fee-free overdraft extensions.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to issue guidance on whether people previously furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and now back in work full-time can be moved onto flexible furlough.

lord agnew of oulton: From 1 July, employers can bring back to work employees that have been furloughed for any amount of time and any shift pattern, while still being able to claim CJRS grant for the hours not worked. On 12 June, the Government issued public guidance that provided details of how employers can use flexible furloughing.

Contact Tracing

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support will be made available to people required to self-isolate under the COVID-19 contact test and trace system who are unable to work from home; and what considerationthey have given toincluding such people as eligible for theCoronavirus Job Retention Scheme. [T]

lord agnew of oulton: Employees who are on sick leave or self-isolating as a result of coronavirus have access to Statutory Sick Pay subject to other eligibility conditions. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is not intended for short-term absences from work due to sickness.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Social Rented Housing: Construction

baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many homes were built for social rent in England (1) in each of the last five years for which figures are available, and (2) in 2010.

lord greenhalgh: The number of social rent completions for 2009-10 and each of the last five years for which there are available data, including new build, can be found in the table below:  2009-102014-152015-162016-172017-182018-19Social Rent, of which:33,4919,3316,7985,8956,6796,287New Build30,3968,4646,0665,2965,5975,320Acquisitions2,7868676845961,058956Not Known30904832411   This information, broken down by tenure and whether the units are new build and acquisitions, is published in Live Table 1009 which can be found (attached) here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supply

Mayors: Coronavirus

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what involvement, if any, the Metro Mayors of Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region had in decisions relating to the easing of lockdown measures for COVID-19; and when they were informed of these decisions.

lord greenhalgh: There has been regular engagement between Government and the Metro Mayors of Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region during the COVID-19 emergency. This includes Ministerial calls with the Metro Mayors of Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region, as well as a call between the Prime Minister and the M9 Metro Mayors, to help inform Government’s approach to restarting the economyA Ministerial-led Economic Recovery Working Group has also been established to provide regular engagement on Government’s restart and recovery planning, chaired by the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government. This features four Metro Mayors including the Mayor of Greater Manchester.Ministers are also holding a series of regional stocktakes as case-studies, including with Greater Manchester and Liverpool, to establish an understanding of local plans for restart and to enable collaboration across Government and local partners. The Mayors of Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region led the stocktakes with their respective areas.

Prayer: Islam

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government which local authorities have authorised the broadcasting by loudspeaker of the Muslim call to prayer; and what assessment have they made of the effect of such broadcasts on community cohesion.

lord greenhalgh: We understand that some Mosques across the country have been given permission to broadcast the call to prayer, particularly during Ramadan, due to the closure of all Places of Worship during the Covid-19 pandemic. Places of Worship play an important role in spiritual and mental health for many, and in bringing our communities together, which is why we want to reopen them as soon as we can. Local councils understand best the needs of their communities and it is a matter for them to work with their local community. We will continue to engage with stakeholders on matters relating to integration, and the Government remains committed to building strong integrated communities.

Rough Sleeping: Protective Clothing

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatarrangements they are making to provide all rough sleepers with face masks so that they can comply with the requirements to use such masks on public transport.

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps, if any, they are taking to provide homeless people with free access to public transport to enable them to travel greater distances to access support services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord greenhalgh: £3.2 billion has been provided to support councils to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, including meeting the costs of accommodating some of the most vulnerable people in our society.This is in addition to £3.2 million in targeted funding for councils to support vulnerable rough sleepers. This funding is specifically to assist local authorities in dealing with the impacts of the challenges faced by the most vulnerable in society during this difficult time.Local authorities are able to use this funding flexibly to ensure that the rough sleepers they are supporting are given the support they require. This includes supporting rough sleepers in a variety of ways, potentially including travel if necessary.

Homelessness: Coronavirus

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking toensure that all refuge centres for the homeless have sufficient funds to continue their work during theCOVID-19 pandemic.

lord greenhalgh: Almost 15,000 vulnerable people have been housed in emergency accommodation, including hotels, since the start of the COVID-19 emergency, according to returns from local authorities to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). This includes people coming in directly from the streets, people previously housed in shared night shelters and people who have become vulnerable to rough sleeping during the pandemic.£3.2 billion has been provided to support councils to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, which councils can use to provide support for vulnerable rough sleepers. This is in addition to £3.2 million in targeted funding for councils to support vulnerable rough sleepers.Local authorities are able to use this funding flexibly to ensure that those being offered accommodation to self-isolate are given the support they require. This funding is alongside significant investment including £112m across England in 2020/21 for the Rough Sleeping Initiative to help around 270 areas tackle rough sleeping across 2020/21.MHCLG also recently announced the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Homelessness Response Fund, granting £6 million to charities, including those who run hostel accommodation. This is to be spent on organisational sustainability in order to ensure the ongoing activities that help keep people who are homeless safe and supported during the pandemic.

Homelessness: Coronavirus

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to find homeless people in England long-term housing after the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord greenhalgh: To support local authorities effectively, the funding for 2020/21 includes:The Flexible Homelessness Support Grant of £200m which seeks to help local authorities plan and respond to their local homelessness pressures; andA £63m Homelessness Reduction Grant to implement the Homelessness Reduction Act enabling local authorities to do more to prevent and relieve homelessness in their areas.This is in addition to the £160m allocation for the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Project, which seeks to provide thousands of long-term, safe homes for vulnerable rough sleepers taken off the streets during the COVID-19 pandemic and the £112m Rough Sleeping Initiative fund. This fund is designed to support the establishment or enhancement of coordinated local services for rough sleepers, or those at risk of sleeping rough.To further enable local authorities to respond to COVID-19 pressures, we have made over £3.2 billion of additional funding available for their response across the services they deliver including helping homeless people. This is in addition to £3.2 million targeted funding to ensure that we minimise the risk to those rough sleepers currently unable to self-isolate.We have announced that Dame Louise Casey will spearhead a Taskforce to lead the next phase of the Government’s support for rough sleepers during this pandemic. The Taskforce will work hand-in-hand with councils across the country on plans to ensure rough sleepers can move into long-term, safe accommodation once the immediate crisis is over – ensuring as few people as possible return to life on the streets.Additionally, in April 2020 the Government increased the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants to the 30th percentile of market rents. This will mean it will be easier for local authorities to fulfil their homelessness duties by assisting people to find suitable and affordable accommodation in the private rented sector.

Ministry of Defence

RAF Waddington: Unmanned Air Vehicles

baroness stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of Protector drone flights on the British public, particularly in and around the area covered by the airspace change proposal initiated by the Ministry of Defence in Enabling Remotely Piloted Air System Operations Out of RAF Waddington.

baroness stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government when local people likely to be affected by the airspace change proposal initiated by the Ministry of Defence in Enabling Remotely Piloted Air System Operations Out of RAF Waddington, including those in (1) Nottingham, (2) Mansfield, (3) Scunthorpe, (4) Grimsby, (5) Grantham, and (6) Boston, will have an opportunity to engage in a consultation on the proposal.

baroness goldie: In developing its Air Change Proposal, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is following the CAP1616 process as mandated by the Civil Aviation Authority with respect to any air space changes within the UK.Currently, the exact dimensions of the airspace required are not yet known as the Air Change Proposal has yet to enter the design phase. Once the proposed dimensions are known, CAP1616 prescribes how stakeholder and public consultations are to take place.The MOD expects to carry out a full consultation with communities within any potentially affected areas in the summer of 2021. This will provide an opportunity for the public to offer their views on the proposal.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

baroness stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether forthcoming Protector drones operating out of RAF Waddington or other RAF military bases will undertake any live fire exercises within UK territory.

baroness goldie: Once the RAF's Protector has achieved Full Operational Capability, it is planned that, as with other military aircraft, it will conduct live firing training within existing UK Air Weapons Ranges.

Sentinel Aircraft

lord craig of radley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 10 June (HL4948), what assessment they have made of extending the use of Sentinel beyond 2021; and whether this will be included in this year's Strategic Defence and Security Review.

baroness goldie: Sentinel's radar and mission system are now increasingly obsolescent and will face increasing reliability issues as time progresses. Retaining the capability would have required significant upgrade expenditure and the March 2021 out of service date (OSD) has been retained. It is necessary to retire certain capabilities at planned OSDs to allow re-investment in future capability.

Armed Forces: Pay

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government when Armed Forces personnel will receive their annual pay rise. [T]

baroness goldie: The Government is currently considering the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body’s (AFPRB) recommendations, taking into account the need to recruit, retain, and motivate personnel, as well as the long-term affordability of the Armed Forces. Once a decision has been reached, any pay rises will be backdated to 1 April 2020.

Department for Work and Pensions

Occupational Health

lord blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government when theyplan to publish a White Paper in response to the Health is everyone’s business: proposals to reduce ill health-related job lossconsultation,which closed on 7 October 2019; and what plans they have to include in any such White Paper proposals to reduce the costs of ill health and absence from work for (1) individuals, and (2) businesses. [T]

baroness stedman-scott: We plan to publish the response to the consultation ‘Health is everyone’s business: proposals to reduce ill health-related job loss’ later this year. The consultation set out proposals to encourage all employers to take positive action to support employees who are managing health conditions in work, and to manage sickness absence more effectively.

Home Office

Asylum

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances individual applications for asylum are referred to ministers; what proportion of Home Office decisions on asylum applications are notified to ministers’ private offices (1) before, and (2) after, those decisions are communicated to the applicant for asylum; and how many such decisions have been so notified during the first five months of 2020.

baroness williams of trafford: Individual applications for asylum are referred to ministers when they are identified as potentially sensitive or high-profile. Such cases may be referred to Ministers by the relevant case working team if they feel it appropriate or, dependant on the circumstances of the case, when they are raised through MPs representation, or in Parliament; or when specific Ministerial authorisation is required.The Home Office is unable to state what proportion of decisions on asylum applications are referred to Minister’s private offices, before and/or after those decisions are communicated to the applicant for asylum or how many such decisions have been notified during the first five months of 2020, as this does not form part of any routinely published data and is not held in a reportable format.

Asylum

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many grants of asylum were granted in (1) 2017, (2) 2018, and (3) 2019; and what was the breakdown of nationality of those granted asylum in each of those years.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office publishes data on asylum applications in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release). Data on the number of grants of asylum are published in tables Asy_D02 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement’ (attached) datasets, and are broken down by nationality and type of grant (asylum, humanitarian protection, discretionary leave etc.) for all requested years. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to the year ending March 2020. Additionally, the Home Office publishes a high-level overview of the data in the ‘summary tables’ (attached). The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on asylum and resettlement. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’ (https://www.gov.uk/search/research-and-statistics?keywords=immigration&content_store_document_type=upcoming_statistics&organisations%5B%5D=home-office&order=relevance). Annex A (attached) provides the published data from Asy_D02. The data relate to grants made at initial decision and include main applicants only. The pivot table can be used to show data on nationality.



Asylum applications, initial decisions
(Excel SpreadSheet, 5.18 MB)




Asylum summary tables
(Excel SpreadSheet, 122.08 KB)




Annex A
(Excel SpreadSheet, 3.3 MB)

Immigrants: Health Services

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 4 June (HL4833), what assessment they have made of the cost of removing the requirement to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for allworkers from overseas and their families.

baroness williams of trafford: The purpose of the Surcharge is to benefit the NHS, help to care for the sick and save lives. It has raised approximately £900million since its introduction in 2015. This income goes to the NHS, funding life-saving work right across the UK.An Impact Assessment was published alongside the laying of the latest SI. This can be found at the following link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2020/30/pdfs/ukia_20200030_en.pdf.

Immigration Controls: Musicians

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the impact of COVID-19 on live music events, what plans they have to consult with music industry representatives on how that sector can be supported through amendments to the Immigration Rules.

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the commercial and cultural cases for facilitating continued ease of movement for musicians between the UK and EU; and what steps they are taking to ensure that this is reflected in the Immigration Rules.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government continues to engage with the creative sector to ensure the future immigration system will enable the UK’s cultural life to continue to thrive. Currently, visiting artists, entertainers and musicians can perform at events, take part in competitions and auditions, make personal appearances and take part in promotional activities for up to 6 months without the need for formal sponsorship or a work visa. Artists wishing to come to the UK for longer-term work will need to do so under the future points-based system. There will continue to be special arrangements for creative workers, which in future will encompass both EEA and non-EEA citizens.

Police: Israel

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what training British police officers have received from the Israeli police force in (1) the UK, or (2) Israel, in the last 12 months.

baroness williams of trafford: We are not aware of any British police officers having received training from the Israeli police force, nor the IDF, in the UK or Israel in the last 12 months

Disease Control: Research

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their commitments outlined in the UK Biological Security Strategy, published in July 2018, what options they have explored for a cross-Government data platform to improve data sharing between sectors.

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the cross-Government governance board, referenced in their UK Biological Security Strategy, published in July 2018, met in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, and (3) 2020.

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government who were the members of the cross-Government governance board referenced in their UK Biological Security Strategy, published in July 2018, in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, and (3) 2020.

baroness williams of trafford: The main focus over the last twelve months has been to develop the governance structures and cross-government biological security community. There are already processes in place for sharing information between departments. Enhancements to data sharing will be one of many areas that will likely be considered by the Biological Security Strategy Governance Board after the COVID-19 response.

Coronavirus: Quarantine

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020, (1)why are people who travel to and from England regularly for work purposes, usually weekly, exempt, and people who travel fortnightly, or frequently but irregularly, not exempt, and (2)why the quarantine measures apply to most travellers without a threshold of the period of length of stay abroad. [T]

baroness williams of trafford: From 8 June, all passengers arriving in the UK without having travelled through another part of the Common Travel Area are required to self-isolate for 14 days, apart from those on a short list of exemptions. This particular exemption ensures those who travel to or from England on a weekly basis to pursue their employment are able to continue doing so, and is in keeping with the approach those who are unable to work from home and can return to work should do so. This is a different category of traveller to those who travel less frequently or even irregularly.The self-isolation measures apply to all arrivals, as the scientific advice is, when domestic transmission of Covid-19 is reduced, new health measures at the border are an important part of managing the risk of new cases entering the UK from abroad and contributing to a second peak of the virus.

Detention Centres: Risk Assessment

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any additional guidance has been issued to Home Office immigration detention case workers on completing IS91RA risk assessments as a result of COVID-19.

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their current policy on classifying those with COVID-19 comorbidities under the Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention policy; and how that policy has been disseminated to (1) detainees, (2) stakeholders, (3) providers, and (4) caseworkers.

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a person at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 due to an underlying health condition will be automatically assessed as Level 3 under the Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention policy.

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any additional guidance has been issued to Home Office immigration detention case workers on making assessments under the Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention policy as a result of COVID-19.

baroness williams of trafford: The most recent guidance for staff operating in immigration removal centres (IRC) and residential short-term holding facilities (RSTHF) on the principles for managing COVID-19 in places of detention came into force on 5 May 2020 and has been published on Gov.UK. This guidance includes advice on the circumstances in which an IS91RA form should be completed and submitted to the Home Office. Supplementary guidance on managing cases of individuals with COVID-19 comorbidities under the adults at risk in immigration detention policy (AAR) came into force on 20 March 2020. Under this policy, individuals suffering from one of the conditions set out in Public Health England guidance on COVID-19 are automatically regarded as falling within level 3 of the AAR. The policy was made available to Home Office staff and to contracted staff in immigration removal centres, and it has been published on Gov.UK. As of 19 June, there are currently no cases of Covid-19 in immigration removal centres.

Cabinet Office

UK Relations With EU

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of their ongoing negotiations with the EU, they have considered arrangements for short-term business visits; and whether musicians and their crews will be included in any such scheme.

lord true: We are open to negotiating reciprocal arrangements to facilitate business visits to deliver services, building on provisions that are standard in trade agreements.A reciprocal agreement based on best precedent will mean that UK citizens will be able to undertake some business activities in the EU without a work permit, on a short-term basis. The same would apply for EU citizens making business visits to the UK.

Honours: Ethnic Groups

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include in the terms of reference for their commission on race and ethnic disparities the replacement of the references to the British Empire in the honours system with honours that recognise the UK’s multi-racial society.

lord true: The terms of reference will be announced in due course.

Department for International Trade

Riot Control Weapons: Exports

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to suspend the provision of export licences to the United States for tear gas and plastic or rubber bullets.

lord grimstone of boscobel: My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and I have been sorry to see the violence that has taken place in the United States of America. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and our diplomatic missions. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the impact of exporting any equipment. These are not decisions my Department takes lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria. Any licence granted by my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade may be subject to conditions. In addition, in line with the Consolidated Criteria, my Department are able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require. There are currently eight extant licences that may be linked to law enforcement agencies. Six are Open Individual Export Licences (‘OIELs’), which have potential end users that include law enforcement agencies. Two are Standard Individual Export Licences (‘SIELs’), which have numerous potential end users that include law enforcement agencies. There are also fifteen Open General Licences (‘OGLs’) for which businesses can register that cover the export of anti-riot gear. We continue to monitor developments in all countries closely. We are able to review licences and suspend or revoke as necessary when circumstances require, and this is done in line with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. We have suspended or revoked licences when our assessment changes. This shows how seriously we take the guiding principle of responsible export controls. Much information is in the public domain already. We publish information on all export licences issued, refused and revoked on a quarterly and annual basis as official statistics on GOV.UK – at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data – and whilst data on actual exports is not required to be centrally held, the licences issued until the end of December 2019 are available.

Arms Trade: USA

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy regarding the sale of arms to the United States of America.

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what types of arms are currently sold to the United States.

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the value of arms sold to the United States in (1) 1990; (2) 2000; (3) 2010; and (4) 2018.

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government to which countries the UK exports arms.

lord grimstone of boscobel: My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and I have been sorry to see the violence that has taken place in the United States of America. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and our diplomatic missions. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the impact of exporting any equipment. These are not decisions my Department takes lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.All countries are under continual review, in line with the Consolidated Criteria, and my Department is able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require. We do not hold complete records based on shipments of items exported to the United States or any country, although we do hold some information based on the value of licences granted for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs). The Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) about export licences granted, refused and revoked to all destinations on GOV.UK. These reports contain information including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. This information is available at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data. The most recent publication was in April 2020, on licences issued until the end of December 2019. Quarterly reports are available from 2008 onwards. Records from 1997–2007 are available in the United Kingdom Strategic Export Controls Annual Report, laid each year and placed within the libraries of the House.

Arms Trade: USA

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arms and equipment the UK exports for use by police services in the United States; and what restrictions, if any, are placed on such exports.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the sales of arms to police services in the United States; and, if so, how.

lord grimstone of boscobel: My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and I have been sorry to see the violence that has taken place in the United States of America. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and our diplomatic missions. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the impact of exporting any equipment. These are not decisions my Department takes lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.The United Kingdom has issued licences that permit the export of crowd control equipment to the United States. The details are published online on GOV.UK. We publish information on all export licences issued, refused and revoked on a quarterly and annual basis as official statistics on GOV.UK. The most recent publication was in April, covering decisions taken up to the end of December 2019. Any licence granted by my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade may be subject to conditions. In addition, in line with the Consolidated Criteria, my Department are able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require. There are currently eight extant licences that may be linked to law enforcement agencies. Six are Open Individual Export Licences (‘OIELs’), which have potential end users that include law enforcement agencies. Two are Standard Individual Export Licences (‘SIELs’), which have numerous potential end users that include law enforcement agencies. There are also fifteen Open General Licences (‘OGLs’) for which businesses can register that cover the export of anti-riot gear. We are able to review licences and suspend or revoke as necessary when circumstances require, and this is done in line with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. We have suspended or revoked licences when our assessment changes. This shows how seriously we take the guiding principle of responsible export controls.

Music: Coronavirus

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the UK music sector remains internationally competitive(1) during, and (2) after, the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord grimstone of boscobel: The Department for International Trade consistently champions the British music industry and the incredible talent which makes the sector such a great success story for the UK. The Government has put in place unprecedented support for businesses and workers to protect them against the economic impact of COVID-19. In 2020/21, the Government is providing export support of around £1 million to UK music companies. Most of this is grant support offered to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the UK’s music sector through the International Showcase Fund and the Music Export Growth Scheme. During the pandemic, the Government has provided support for digital events so music companies can continue to do business with international customers. The Government is working closely with the Creative Industries Trade and Investment Board, which includes music representatives, to develop a creative industries trade and investment recovery strategy which will enable the UK music sector to maintain its strong international position.

Insulin: Manufacturing Industries

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with companies in Denmark and Germany about setting up manufacturing bases for insulin in the UK.

lord grimstone of boscobel: The Government is keen to attract companies to set up manufacturing facilities in the UK across the Life Sciences sector. However, we have not had any discussions with companies in Denmark and Germany about setting up manufacturing bases for insulin in the UK as we are not aware of any companies from these countries who have such plans.

Trade Agreements

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in rolling over UK trading arrangements with countries that have an agreement with the EU.

lord grimstone of boscobel: As of 31st January 2020, when the United Kingdom left the EU, we had successfully concluded and signed trade continuity agreements with 48 countries. This accounts for £110 billion of United Kingdom trade in 2018, which represents 74% of the trade with countries with whom we were seeking continuity before the Withdrawal Agreement was signed – and we are continuing our programme to replicate the effects of existing EU trade agreements with other countries to ensure maximum continuity for British businesses following the transition period. Work continues on these remaining trade continuity agreements in a way that reflects the reality of the current situation and respects public health. An up-to-date list of trade continuity agreements, signed and in discussion, is publicly available at: gov.uk/guidance/uk-trade-agreements-with-non-eu-countries.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Musicians: Reciprocal Arrangements

the earl of clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byBaroness Barran on 3 June (HL Deb, col 1360), on what basis they consider that a touring visa is not "legally possible".

lord foster of bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by Baroness Barran on 3 June (HL Deb, col 1360), why they believe that a reciprocal two-year EU-wide multi-entry touring visa for musicians and others is not legally possible.

baroness barran: In my response to The Earl of Clancarty in Parliament on 3 June, I said that a touring visa as he proposed was not “legally possible”. I am afraid that this could have been phrased more accurately. While a visa of the kind he proposed is not legally impossible, the legal arrangements of the EU make it less negotiable, and each individual EU member state retains the right to caveat the third-party mobility arrangements negotiated at an EU-wide level. We are not asking for a special, bespoke, or unique deal. We are looking for a deal like the free trade agreements the EU has previously struck with other friendly countries such as Canada. We recognise that music and the performing arts are culturally and economically crucial industries. Through negotiations with the EU on Mobility and Mode IV we are exploring how we can provide greater certainty to these industries in the future through reciprocal provisions based on best precedent.

UK Anti-doping: Coronavirus

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many out-of-competition testsUK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has undertaken since the decision to reduce the UKAD testing programme as a result of COVID-19 was announced on 17 March.

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many tests have been carried out by Doping Control Personnel in athletes' homes since 17 March; and how many athletes declared in advance of these tests that they were living with people who are (1) at higher risk from, or (2) clinically extremely vulnerable to, COVID-19.

baroness barran: UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) publishes its doping test figures on a quarterly basis to preserve the integrity of the test allocation process and ensure the “no advance notice” testing principle is protected. Therefore, UKAD’s figures for the in- and out-of-competition tests it has carried out since 17 March 2020 are only partially available. Testing figures for Q4 of 2019/20, which covers January-March 2020, have been published on UKAD’s website. According to this report, the domestic and international Anti-Doping Testing Programme carried out 2,512 tests during this period. Testing figures for Q1 of 2020/21, which covers April-June 2020, will be published after the period is complete. Athletes are not required to declare in advance of tests if they, or anyone they are living with, are at higher risk from, or clinically extremely vulnerable to, COVID-19. UKAD has asked athletes and National Governing Bodies to provide this information to help their planning, however does not have plans to make this publicly available. 



UK National Anti-Doping Programme Results
(PDF Document, 343.15 KB)

Sports: Drugs

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of UK registered athletes are adhering to requirements to provideWhereabouts information in the Anti-Doping Administration Management System.

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many UK registered athletes are currently selected for inclusion inUK Anti-Doping out-of-competition testing.

baroness barran: There are currently 561 athletes registered on UKAD’s National Registered Testing Pool and Domestic Testing Pool, with an approximate 50/50% split between the two pools. These athletes are required to provide their Whereabouts via the Anti-Doping Administration Management System to enable out-of-competition testing. Whereabouts Failures for the current period will be reported in the next Quarterly Testing Reports, likely to be published in mid-July on UKAD’s website.

Sports: Drugs

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Anti-Doping Rule Violations hearings have taken place since 17 March.

baroness barran: The National Anti-Doping Panel has heard three cases of Anti-Doping Rule Violations via videoconference since 17 March 2020, which is in line with what the Panel usually hears.

Musicians: Brexit

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, as part of their preparations for exiting the transition period, of the economic viability of UK venues booking acts from EU member states for live music events and studio performances.

baroness barran: DCMS has engaged extensively with union bodies, artists and cultural organisations to help understand the needs of the creative and cultural sector on their preparations for the ending of the transition period. We understand the diverse circumstances of companies, organisations and individual practitioners and how they may need to adapt as the transition period ends.We will continue to work with these stakeholders in the coming months and we will continue to keep Parliament informed with analysis at appropriate times in a way that does not impede our ability to strike the best deal for the UK.

Musicians: Brexit

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likelihood of any restrictions introduced on EU musicians touring in the UK following the completion of the transition period being reciprocated for UK musicians touring in the EU.

baroness barran: DCMS has engaged extensively with union bodies, artists and cultural organisations to help understand the needs of the creative and cultural sector on their preparations for the ending of the transition period. We understand the diverse circumstances of companies, organisations and individual practitioners and how they may need to adapt as the transition period ends. On temporary entry for business purposes (mode 4) as part of a free trade agreement, we want a reciprocal agreement that would enable UK citizens will be able to undertake some paid business activities in the EU without a work permit, on a short-term basis. The precise details, including range of activities, documentation needed, and the time limit, is a matter for negotiationWe are confident that such a free trade agreement based on friendly cooperation can be achieved. However, in all circumstances, we expect UK musicians’ work to continue to be an export that is highly valued in the EU as it is across the world. We will continue to work with these stakeholders in the coming months and we will continue to keep Parliament informed with analysis at appropriate times in a way that does not impede our ability to strike the best deal for the UK.

Music

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of international examples of sector-specific support for (1) the live music sector, and (2) the music sector, particularly examples of good practice.

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of international examples of sector-specific support for (1) the live music sector, and (2) the music sector, particularly examples of good practice.

baroness barran: We are aware of, and monitor, examples of support for the music industry in other countries. The UK Government has put in place an unprecedented support package for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including: The Coronavirus Job Retention SchemeThe Self-Employed Income Support SchemeThe Bounceback Loan SchemeExpanding eligibility for the business rates reliefs As well as this, to support the safe re-opening of cultural and creative sectors, DCMS has launched the Cultural Renewal Taskforce. This includes several working groups to develop practical guidance on how the music production and performance sectors can operate safely with social distancing measures in place. As well as establishing these working groups, we will continue to work with the music industry to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and recovery.

Music: Government Assistance

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their employment and business support measures for (1) workers, and (2) businesses, in the music sector.

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to assess the efficacy of their employment and business support measures for (1) workers, and (2) businesses, in the music sector.

baroness barran: Whilst we have not completed a specific survey for the music sector, we have analysed the wider Creative Industries sector through the DCMS Coronavirus Impact Business Survey, which provides information on the effects of the pandemic on DCMS’ sectors. Results for DCMS sectors as a whole are published on gov.uk and further analysis of the responses will be available in the coming weeks. As the music industry is a vital part of the UK’s creative economy, the Government has put in place an unprecedented support package for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including: The Coronavirus Job Retention SchemeThe Self-Employed Income Support SchemeThe Bounceback Loan SchemeExpanding eligibility for the business rates reliefs We continue to speak with HM Treasury colleagues to ensure that the full spectrum of government support reaches the UK's world-leading music industry. To support the safe re-opening of cultural and creative sectors, DCMS has launched the Cultural Renewal taskforce. This includes several working groups to develop practical guidance on how the music production and performance sectors can operate safely with social distancing measures in place. As well as establishing these working groups, we will continue to work with the music industry to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.

Digital Economy Act 2017

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the report on the impact and effectiveness of the regulatory framework provided for in Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 will be published.

baroness barran: As the government announced on 16 October last year, we will not be commencing Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 and its provisions on age verification for online pornography. Instead the online harms regime will include provisions to protect children from inappropriate content, including online pornography. The requirement for a report on the impact and effectiveness of the regulatory framework set out in Section 29 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 will therefore not be brought into force.

Newspaper Press: Coronavirus

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support local and regional newspapers following the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness barran: This Government is clear that local and regional newspapers play an invaluable role in the fabric of our society. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government committed to supporting local and regional newspapers, both through its manifesto, and in response to the 2019 independent Cairncross Review on the future of high quality journalism. The Cairncross Review looked at the overall state of the news media market, identifying a range of challenges and making nine recommendations for Government, regulators and industry to support sustainability within the sector, including at a local and regional level. The Government response, published in January this year, set out support for the majority of the recommendations, and the Government had already begun taking some of them forward before the onset of the current health crisis. Covid-19 has exacerbated and accelerated many of the issues identified in the Cairncross Review and, in recognition of the importance of high quality local news provision, the Government has focused both on alleviating the existential threat posed by the pandemic and simultaneously continuing to progress commitments made in our response to the Review. To date, we have worked with Nesta to develop a £2million pilot innovation fund, launched in October 2019, which seeks to invest in new technological prototypes, start-ups and innovative business models to explore new ways of sustaining the industry. The pilot Future News Fund is due to come to an end in June. The Government is considering options for a full, expanded fund ahead of the next Spending Review. The Cairncross Review noted that society is increasingly moving online and news publishers are facing significant challenges in transitioning to sustainable digital business models. Covid-19 has expedited these structural changes. As set out in our response to the Review, the Government agrees that codes of conduct that formalise the relationships between news publishers and online platforms may help to rebalance that relationship. We are continuing to consider options in this area in the context of wider work on competition in digital markets, and look forward to the recommendations in the Competition and Market Authority’s final report into the online advertising market, due by 2 July. The Government will continue to consider all possible options in the interests of promoting and sustaining high-quality news journalism beyond the immediate threat of Covid-19. We are committed to getting this work right, so future generations can engage with and be inspired by a free and vibrant press.

Cricket

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the England and Wales Cricket Board to enable spectators to watch First Class and National Counties cricket safely this summer.

baroness barran: We are working closely with the sector, including the England and Wales Cricket Board, to facilitate the return of spectators to elite sport. A multidisciplinary working group, including medical directors from a number of sports, has begun to develop Stage 5 guidance around the return of spectators to stadia. Guidance will incorporate medical, sports, and venue expertise as well as the experience of other sectors that will reopen to audiences. We will continue to be led by wider public health guidance and the working group will reflect on all emerging best practice, both domestically and internationally, in their work.

Data Protection

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of data theft in the UK.

baroness barran: The Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2020 shows that 46% of businesses and 26% of charities identified cyber breaches or attacks in the last 12 months. Of these, 1% of businesses and 4% of charities had personal data altered, destroyed or taken. In addition, 1% of businesses and charities which experienced a breach or attack said they suffered lost or stolen assets, trade secrets or intellectual property, which may include personal and non-personal data. Through the National Cyber Security Strategy, the Government is investing £1.9 billion to help organisations stay secure and make the UK the safest place to live and work online.As part of the current cross-Government Cyber Aware campaign, the National Cyber Security Centre recently launched a Suspicious Email Reporting Service to enable the public to report suspicious emails and help prevent data theft. We have also strengthened our data protection legislation through the Data Protection Act 2018. The Act includes criminal offences of unlawfully obtaining personal data and/or re-identifying pseudonymised data. The legislation is enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office who can - and do - bring prosecutions where appropriate.

Tourism and Travel: EU Countries

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with tourism and travel industry representatives about the UK's participation in the Re-open EU application and website; and what assessment they have made of the impact of their decision not to participate on those sectors. [T]

baroness barran: The UK is no longer part of the EU, and therefore we would not expect to be included in a map representing member states. The UK regularly shares information on our travel, border and health measures with key partners, including the European Commission, as part of our ongoing international cooperation during the Coronavirus crisis. The Minister for Tourism discussed the recovery and lifting of travel restrictions with ministers from several European countries and the European Commission at the recent Extraordinary G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting on COVID-19. We will work closely with foreign governments to help the global tourism industry recover from the current crisis. Officials in my Department are also in regular contact with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and World Travel and Tourism Council. We continue to share information about the UK’s response to COVID-19.

Football: Ethnic Groups

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Football Association about the number of black football managers.

baroness barran: We are in regular dialogue with the Football Association (FA) across a range of matters, including diversity. I welcome the FA’s recent announcement of a new voluntary code for Equality in Football Leadership, which aims to champion equality in football and tackle all forms of discrimination in the game. The government is committed to working with sports to ensure opportunities to progress are open to all, from athletes to administrators, to board members. As an example of this, on 11 June 2020 the Minister for Sport announced a review of the Code for Sports Governance. The Code sets out the levels of transparency, accountability and financial integrity required from those who ask for government and National Lottery funding. It currently says that organisations must show a "strong and public commitment" to progressing ethnic diversity. However, it is right to review this to ensure that opportunities to progress are open to all. Government will be working with UK Sport and Sport England to set new expectations and ensure the sport sector leads by example.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

House of Lords: Coronavirus

lord truscott: The Senior Deputy Speaker what is his roadmap for restoring the (1) procedures, and (2) sitting patterns, in place in the House of Lords before COVID-19.

lord mcfall of alcluith: The Procedure and Privileges Committee has been meeting weekly and has made a series of changes to procedure to allow the House to sit first virtually and then as a hybrid House. We will continue to keep procedures under review and listen to feedback from members and staff. Advice from Public Health England has been central to all the Committee’s considerations and plans to return to physical sittings and procedures will depend on how and when that advice changes.The sitting patterns of the House are a matter for the Usual Channels.